COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

• US 20130023227A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,198,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes a receiving unit, an extracting unit, a generating unit and a transmitting unit. The receiving unit receives a signal from a first network using a first communication method. The extracting unit extracts, from a signal received via a control channel of the first network, notification information that is broadcast to be notified to a communication apparatus belonging to the first network and also used by a communication apparatus belonging to a second network. Here, the second network uses a second communication method different from the first communication method. The generating unit generates a notification frame used to notify the communication apparatus belonging to the second network of the notification information. The transmitting unit transmits the notification frame to the communication apparatus belonging to the second network.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a signal from a first network using a first communication method;

an extracting unit configured to extract notification information, which is broadcast to be notified to a communication apparatus belonging to the first network and also used by a communication apparatus belonging to a second network using a second communication method different from the first communication method, from a signal received via a control channel of the first network;

a generating unit configured to generate a notification frame used to notify the communication apparatus belonging to the second network of the notification information; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit the notification frame to the communication apparatus belonging to the second network.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a storing unit configured to store a recognition format, in which a notification application running on the communication apparatus belonging to the second network recognizes data, in order to notify a user of the notification information, wherein

the generating unit includes the notification information in the notification frame as data corresponding to the recognition format.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a storing unit configured to store a notification setting that is a setting of a media access control header used to detect the notification information by the notification application running on the communication apparatus belonging to the second network in order to notify a user of the notification information, wherein

the generating unit sets the media access control header of the notification frame as the notification setting, and records the notification information in a media access control message of the notification frame.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

if the notification information is partitioned into a first segment and a second segment, the first segment is broadcast by first announcement information, and the second segment is broadcast by second announcement information, the extracting unit extracts the first segment form the first announcement information, also extracts the second segment from the second announcement information, and obtains the notification information by merging the first segment and the second segment.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a disaster identification table in which a disaster identifier for identifying a disaster notified from a base station belonging to the first network is recorded; and

a relay determining unit configured to determine to relay a frame including a disaster identifier recorded in the disaster identification table from the first network to the second network, and to output the frame to the extracting unit, wherein

the extracting unit extracts the notification information from the frame input from the detecting unit.

6. A communication apparatus belonging to a second network when a first network and the second network are formed, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a frame generated by a relay apparatus for relaying data transmitted/received by the first network to the second network;

a detecting unit configured to detect, from the frame, notification information that is broadcast to be notified to a communication apparatus belonging to the first network via a control channel of the first network and also used by a communication apparatus belonging to the second network;

a deciding unit configured to analyze the notification information, and to decide a method of an output process for making a user notice the notification information; and

an outputting unit configured to execute the output process according to an instruction of the deciding unit.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising

a controlling unit configured to add a process identifier, with which the deciding unit recognizes as a process target, to data notified with a reception control frame if the notification information is included in the reception control frame received via a control channel used to transmit/receive control information, wherein

the deciding unit decides an output method executed by the deciding unit by analyzing the data to which the process identifier is added.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the controlling unit adds the process identifier to the reception control frame if a value of a media access control header of the reception control frame is a value indicating that a media access control message includes the notification information, and

the deciding unit decides the output method executed by the deciding unit by analyzing the media access control message to which the process identifier is added.

9. A communication method for causing a relay apparatus, which relays data between a first network and a second network, to execute a process, the process comprising:

receiving a signal from the first network using a first communication method;

extracting notification information, which is broadcast to be notified to a communication apparatus belonging to the first network and also used by a communication apparatus belonging to the second network using a second communication method different from the first communication method, from a signal received via a control channel of the first network;

generating a notification frame used to notify the communication apparatus belonging to the second network of the notification information; and

transmitting the notification frame to the communication apparatus belonging to the second network.

10. A storage medium on which is recorded a program for causing a relay apparatus, which relays data between a first network and a second network, to execute a process, the process comprising:

receiving a signal from the first network using a first communication method;

extracting notification information, which is broadcast to be notified to a communication apparatus belonging to the first network and also used by a communication apparatus belonging to the second network using a second communication method different from the first communication method, from a signal received via a control channel of the first network;

generating a notification frame used to notify the communication apparatus belonging to the second network of the notification information; and

transmitting the notification frame to the communication apparatus belonging to the second network.

11. A communication method for causing a communication apparatus belonging to a second network to execute a process, the process comprising:

receiving a frame generated by a relay apparatus, which relays data transmitted/received by a first network to the second network using a communication method different from the first network;

detecting, from the frame, notification information that is broadcast to be notified to a communication apparatus belonging to the first network via a control channel of the first network and also used by the communication apparatus belonging to the second network;

analyzing the notification information, and deciding a method of an output process for making a user notice the notification information; and

executing the output process according to an instruction of the deciding.

12. A storage medium on which is recorded a program for causing a communication apparatus belonging to a second network to execute a process, the process comprising:

receiving a frame generated by a relay apparatus, which relays data transmitted/received by a first network to the second network;

detecting, from the frame, notification information that is broadcast to be notified to a communication apparatus belonging to the first network via a control channel of the first network and also used by the communication apparatus belonging to the second network;

analyzing the notification information, and deciding a method of an output process for making a user notice the notification information; and

executing the output process according to an instruction of the deciding.